Why did I never see an Alternators Camshaft or Mirage?

Hi all. This is my first post here so please be gentle. I tried to find the answer on the boards but was not able to. With the last 2 Alternators released, this question has REALLY been bugging me.

I have NEVER seen an Alternators Camshaft or Mirage. The only Alt I have ever bought on eBay was Nemesis Prime. Every other Alt I have found on the shelves, with the exception of Mirage and Camshaft. Still missing them, and from the looks of the online retailers, a lot of people have been buying them that way.

Why have I never seen them? Were they extremely limited? Were they exclusives?

The peeps from Canada say they have plenty of Camshafts up there. As for me, I was fortunate enough to see both Mirage and Camshaft at retail. I think I've seen Mirage a couple times and Camshaft ONLY ONCE...and that was when I bought him....or put him in layaway, rather.

I also never saw Camshaft or Mirage, however I had a friend who worked at Wal-mart snag me the only Mirage he ever saw. And just like you, those are the only 2 I never saw in stores. Swerve, red box Tracks? No probs here.

As for why they were so elusive, I chalk it up to the wave that preceeded them. A Scion and 3 repaints? Instant shelf-warmers. Shelf-warming for over a year while waiting for a relatively exciting wave to show up = the exciting wave is barely ordered by the store due to poor sales of previous wave, and when exciting wave does show up, is instantly bought by whatever schmoe happens to be walking by at the time.

(snip!)I think I've seen Mirage a couple times and Camshaft ONLY ONCE...and that was when I bought him....or put him in layaway, rather.

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That could be one of those cases where it was bought out-of-state (or country) and returned at a sister retail store. I myself have not seen Camshaft anywhere. I need only he, Rumble, and Ravage (XKR). If anyone here can point me to a Camshaft...please?

I live in the south of Chile. Distribution of transformers here has always been really bad. One fine day I went to a department store and voila!: 2 Alt Prime, 2 Alt Mirage and 3 Alt Camshaft, new, sealed, and at a very low price. I bought a Mirage.

1 month later I went near the capital city, and guess what: I saw even more Camshafts and Mirages.

Now, if someone can explain me why in this country where we never get an Optimus Prime I found these figures that are hard to find in some states, go on, 'cos I don't understand.